Job interviews
Online job interview in English: setting up, the first minute, and what to say when the call goes wrong
The short answer
For an online interview in English, test your sound, light and connection an hour before, keep your notes to a few words beside the camera, and look at the lens for the first sentence of each answer. Have one line ready for when the call freezes: “Sorry, you cut out for a moment. Could you repeat the question?”
By the Chappie team · Updated
What’s different about an interview on a video call?
In a room you can see when the interviewer is about to speak. On a call there’s a half-second delay, the picture freezes at the worst moment, and you can’t tell whether the silence means they’re thinking or your sound has gone. None of it is about your English. It all lands on your English anyway, because a small pause feels as if you’ve forgotten the words.
What should you check in the hour before?
- Sound first. Use earphones with a microphone if you have them, and record ten seconds to hear how you come across.
- Put the light in front of you. A window behind you turns you into a shadow.
- Raise the camera to eye level. A few books under the laptop will do.
- Check the name on your screen. The app may be showing the name of your phone.
- Put your phone on silent and close the other apps.
- Have a backup: mobile data switched on in case the Wi-Fi drops, and the interviewer’s email or number within reach.
- Open the link ten minutes early.
What do you say in the first minute?
Good morning. Can you hear me and see me clearly? Thank you. I’m Sachini de Silva. Thanks for making the time today. Before we start: if my connection drops at any point, I’ll rejoin with the same link straight away.
Checking the sound first is polite, and it gets your voice working before the first real question.
After that comes “Tell me about yourself”, as it does in a room. There are samples for both in self introduction in English and how to answer “Tell me about yourself”.
Phrases for when the call goes wrong
“Sorry, you cut out for a moment. Could you repeat the question?”
The sound dropped while they were asking.
“I think there’s a delay. Please go ahead.”
You both started talking at once.
“Can you still hear me?”
They’ve gone quiet and you can’t tell why.
“I’ll turn my video off for a moment to help the connection.”
The picture keeps freezing.
“Sorry, I lost the connection. Shall I start that answer again?”
You dropped out and came back.
“Would you like me to go on, or is that enough detail?”
You can’t read their faces, so ask.
How do you sound confident on camera?
Look at the lens for the first sentence of each answer, then let your eyes go where they like. Speak a little slower than you would in a room, because the delay swallows fast speech. End each answer on a clear last sentence and stop, so they know it’s their turn.
Keep a few words on a note beside the camera: the company’s name, two things you’ve done, one question to ask. A full page of notes below the screen shows in your eyes.
Which questions come up in online interviews?
The same ones as in a room, with the same answers: the ten you’ll almost certainly be asked has samples for each. Two more turn up on calls, especially for jobs you’d do from home.
Yes. In my last role we worked from home two days a week. I keep a list of the day’s tasks, send my manager a short update each evening, and I’m on the team chat during working hours.
I have a quiet room, a laptop and a fibre connection, with mobile data as a backup. I keep the laptop charged in case the power goes.
Invented examples. Change them to what’s true for you.
What about recorded video interviews?
Some companies send a link where you record your answers with nobody on the other side. A question appears, you get a short time to think, and the recording starts. Treat it like a live call: look at the lens, keep each answer to about a minute, and finish on a full sentence. Practising out loud matters even more here, because there’s no face to react to.
How can you practise for an online interview?
- 1
Start a video call with yourself
Record two answers and watch them once. You’ll see where your eyes go and hear how fast you speak.
- 2
Rehearse the first minute
The greeting, the sound check and your name, until it needs no thought.
- 3
Say one rescue line out loud
“Sorry, you cut out for a moment. Could you repeat the question?” Saying it once in practice makes it easy to reach for.
- 4
Do a full run with someone
A friend on a call is closest to the real thing.
Chappie, our app, has job interview practice: you describe the role, answer out loud, and see what to fix afterwards. It’s voice practice, so it won’t train the camera side, but it gets the answers ready. You can download it free and use the free trial before any subscription starts. If this is your first interview of any kind, read how to face your first job interview too.
Practise it
Practise your first three answers out loud in Chappie, then record them on a video call with yourself.
Questions people ask
How long should my answers be in a video interview?
About a minute, a little shorter than in a room. It’s harder to interrupt on a call, so finish on a clear last sentence and stop.
What should I do if my internet drops during an interview?
Rejoin with the same link and say: “Sorry, I lost the connection. Shall I start that answer again?” Telling them at the start that you’ll rejoin if it drops makes this easier.
Where should I look during a video interview?
At the camera lens for the first sentence of each answer, which looks like eye contact to them. After that, looking at their face on the screen is fine.
Can I use notes in an online interview?
A few words beside the camera, yes: the company’s name, two things you’ve done, a question to ask. Reading full sentences shows in your eyes and flattens your voice.
What should I wear for an online job interview?
What you’d wear to that office, top to bottom in case you need to stand up. Plain colours tend to look better on camera than small patterns.